THIS INVENTION relates to a fish hook.
The term xe2x80x9cfish hookxe2x80x9d in this specification is used in a broad sense and should be interpreted as including also a gaff and other fishing accessories having a hook whereby a fish can be hooked.
According to the invention there is provided a fish hook comprising a shank which terminates at one end in a hook formation and at the other end in a shank head, a hook-closing element which is displaceable between a retracted position in which it lies adjacent the shank and an extended position in which it extends across the gap between the shank and the tip of the hook formation, and a detent mounted on the shank head so as to be slidably displaceable with respect to the shank in the longitudinal direction of the shank, between a first position in which it acts to hold the hook-closing element in the retracted position, and a second position in which it releases the hook-closing element for displacement to the extended position.
The hook-closing element may be resiliently biased towards the extended position.
The detent may be provided with an eye for use in securing the fish hook to a fishing line. With this arrangement, when a fish pulls on the hook, the tension in the fishing line will be effective to displace the detent from the first position to the second position, thus releasing the hook-closing element for displacement from the retracted position to the extended position.
The eye may be in the form of a ring which passes through a transversely extending opening in the detent. There may also be a transverse opening in the shank head, the ring passing through the transverse opening in the shank head as well. The transverse opening in the shank head should be large enough to permit slidable displacement of the detent between the first and second positions without interference. With this arrangement the ring will serve to hold the detent captive with respect to the shank head.
The shank may have a recess therein in which the hook-closing element is at least partly accommodated when in the retracted position.
The hook-closing element may be in the form of a length of spring steel wire which has a hairpin bend therein, to form the hook-closing element with a limb on each opposite side of the bend, the end of each limb being bent through right angles so that the two ends extend towards one another, the two ends being offset with respect to one another, and each of the ends entering in a corresponding hole in the shank head.
One of the limbs of the hook-closing element may have a transversely extending portion, the arrangement being such that when the detent is in the first position it is capable of engaging with the transversely extending portion to hold the hook-closing element in the retracted position.
The shank head may be provided with a shoulder whose arrangement is such that, when the hook-closing element is in the extended position, said transversely extending portion abuts on the shoulder.
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.